World Rugby guideline on dietary supplements

Players are advised to exercise extreme caution regarding the use of any dietary supplement as no guarantee can be provided that any particular supplement, including vitamins and minerals, ergogenic aids and herbal remedies are totally free from Prohibited Substances.

The biggest risk associated with the use of dietary supplements is cross contamination or lacing with substances that are prohibited. A product could also contain ingredients that are also not listed on the label which are prohibited or are listed under an alternate name which may not be listed on the prohibited list.

Players should also be aware that products marketed under the same brand in different countries may contain different ingredients which may not always appear on the product label.

Strict Liability - a Player is solely responsible for any Prohibited Substances found to be present in his or her body. It is not necessary that intent or fault on the Player’s part be shown in order for an anti-doping rule violation to be established. Nor is lack of intent a defence to testing positive to a Prohibited Substance because of a contaminated supplement.

The use of any nutritional or dietary supplement by a Player is at their own risk.

The principle of personal responsibility cannot be abdicated because of the actions of coaches or medical advisers or any other person associated with the Player’s Union or Team. The fact that supplements may be provided by a Player's Club, Union, or other Rugby Body, will not absolve the Player of his or her responsibility for the consequences if the use of such supplements results in an anti-doping rule violation. This will be the case even if there was no reason to suspect that the supplement contained a prohibited substance.

The only way to completely eliminate the risk of dietary supplements is to not take them.

Players are more likely to benefit from a healthy, well balanced diet which should be put in place by an appropriately qualified nutritionist.

Dietary or nutritional supplements, ergogenic aids and herbal products should only be considered for use where the nutritional review and supplementation process is controlled and individually monitored by appropriately qualified medical practitioners or nutritionists and where the appropriate batches of the products have undergone the applicable tests to ensure that the products do not contain any prohibited substances.

Players who insist on using dietary supplements should consider the following risk assessment prior to using any dietary supplement.